The Vancouver Goldeneyes capped off their inaugural season with a dramatic 4-3 overtime victory over the Minnesota Frost on Saturday night at Rogers Arena.
Game Recap
Michelle Karvinen scored the game-winner at 3:47 of the extra period, lifting the Goldeneyes to a thrilling win in front of a sellout crowd of 18,910 fans. The goal capped a back-and-forth contest that saw both teams trade leads throughout regulation.
Anna Meixner and Sydney Bard also scored for Vancouver, while goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer made 32 saves. The Frost got goals from Katy Knoll, Taylor Heise, and Grace Zumwinkle, with Nicole Hensley stopping 28 shots.
First Period Action
The Goldeneyes struck first at 8:12 of the opening period when Meixner deflected a point shot from Bard past Hensley. Minnesota answered late in the frame as Knoll buried a rebound at 17:44 to tie the score 1-1.
Second Period Momentum
Vancouver regained the lead early in the second when Bard's wrist shot from the blue line found its way through traffic at 4:21. The Frost again responded, with Heise scoring on a breakaway at 11:09 to make it 2-2. Zumwinkle then gave Minnesota its first lead at 15:47, but the Goldeneyes' Sarah Potomak tied it again at 18:12 with a power-play goal.
Overtime Drama
After a scoreless third period, Karvinen ended the game with a quick snap shot from the slot after a feed from Jenni Hiirikoski. The win gave Vancouver a 12-10-2 record in their first PWHL season.
"It was a great way to finish," said Goldeneyes head coach Courtney Birchard-Kessel. "The fans were incredible all year, and to send them home with a win like that is special."
